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This is a collection ofstudent work from EDUC610 Research inEducation and EDUC 635Technology for Learning.

The first two parts includeexcerpts from acompilation of the lastassignments completedfor thetwocourses. Sincethey represent a summarycapstone of importantthings learned inconjunction with definedstandards, placing themat the beginning providesmeaningfulcontext forwhat follows.

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identifyone of them and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

Thethree standards listed in the syllabus are closely related.

However, I will focus on #1: “Theprogram requires students develop the ability to apply research and research methods relevant to theadvanced field of study.

The program uses a variety of performance assessments of students;understanding and ability to apply that knowledge.”

I have unquestionably been exposed to various research methodologies.

But the litany of thosetechniques doesn’t demonstrate learning, mastery, or even basic understanding.

If that was all EDUC610 Research in Education set out to do, then learning, real learning would have been overlooked.

It’snot enough to find and know methodologies; one must also apply the information and then be able tothink about what that means

on an individual level.

It wasn’t lost on me that we were being asked to research educational research.

I started thinkingabout that from the start of the first assignment.

At first I felt a sort of amused irony about thesituation.

But as I visited site after site I began to formalize what I think is the intent of thecourse.

Many of the research sites I visited were other graduate degree courses with open access.

Inoticed that the information on those sites were being provided by instructors to

other students.

“Hereis what you need to know.”

“Here is what you should learn.”

“I’m the expert and I know what you needto be told.”

I thought about that and about what I was doing.

And I came to the conclusion that, for me, theresearch methodology was much more satisfying.

I was responsible for my own learning, for makingsense of what I was seeing, and for meeting the objectives.

I was asked to find information and tocritique it, and then to reflect on it which made the process complete.

As I progressed through the units of study my research became more detailed.

Not to meet theobjectives as much as to make sense of my own work.

I started to think of each section as aninstructor who would teach a class on this topic.

As a result my own

learning was enhanced and mylearning even more meaningful.

The end result was a product that I was usable of, but more than that, was meaningful and somethingof which I was proud.

I have become convinced that the only effective teacher is one that is also aresearcher.

I have developed several ideas that I would like to research.

For me, the three parts foreach unit made a comprehensive whole:

find information, apply that knowledge through practice, andthen cement it by explaining what the learning really meant.

Part Two: Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in610 and the reason it has significance for you. Conclude your entry with a word of affirmationfor members of the class.

For me, the mostimportant thing I learned had to do with me, and not content.

I am a person wholikes examples and as many details as I can get.

The first assignment was intimidating since it seemedso open-ended that I wasn’t sure that I was meeting the expectations set up by the objectives.

Afterseveral deep breaths I started out by completing each portion of the assignment in a way that made theassignment meaningful to me, and hoping that it made sense to the instructor.

While I followed theformat, the process became more personal because I was following paths that made sense to me.

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New information came across my monitor, and I started absorbing what that meant as I applied thenew information to what I already knew.

I started playing with multiple regression,

z-scores, and chi-squared distribution (I LOVE statistics.).

I looked at research and came to the conclusion that effectiveeducators have to be researchers.

So, to answer the question:

The most important thing I learned was that finding the answersisinfinitely more satisfying than being told the answers.

The course reinforced that learning can be funas well as rewarding, and that step-by-step the process is the path.

I also thought that the requirement to provide feedback to others was an important one.

While readingothers’ work the passion, intelligence, humor, dedication, and compassion of those in this classbecame apparent.

It’s reassuring to know that education is filled with people who are willing to putforth the time and effort to prepare themselves to benefit their students, district, andthemselves.

Reading what they had to say what they had to say was both beneficial and thoughtprovoking. The feedback from others in this class was remarkable and very gratifying.

Part One:Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

Professional Standard #1:

ESPB Standard 50081.2: The program requires candidates develop theability to apply research and research methods relevant to the advanced filed of study.

The programuses a variety of performance assessments of candidates’ understanding and ability to apply thatk湯wle摧eK

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● Identify valid research methodologies and critique findings.

● Collect and analyze data related to their work

● Use research to reflect on their practice and design researchJ扡se搠d瑲a瑥ti敳⁴ im灲潶e

opportunity to consider each objective and provide my summaries and personal applications to my ownprofessional goals.

In unit one, I was exposed to various research techniques and considered how each may be usedwithin the context of my professional experience.

Unit one exposed me to the components of varioustypes of research and through the effective practice and reflections portions of the assignment I wasinvited to consider topics within education where I may apply one or more of the techniques described.

In unit two, I considered the various accepted methods of analyzing the data developed throughresearch techniques.

I was offered the opportunity to draw relationshipsbetween statistical analysisand how the conclusions of such analysis might be considered in practical application.

The benefitsand limitations of statistical analysis were considered and applied to situations in my professionalexperience.

In unit 3, specific research approaches were considered, mainly under the headings of qualitative andquantitative data.

I was required to read a number of actual research reports and analyze the work interms of how I may apply the data and conclusions to my own experience.

Reflection was sought onpast educational experiences to ponder various research methods role in possibly making thoseexperiences different from either an instructor’s or learner’s perspective.

By applying the researchmethods to real world experiences in my own life, further ideas were initiated for questioning resultingin research in my present professional setting.

In unit 4, action research specifically was explored, namely by researching its history, reading anumber of current research articles or papers relating to educational issues, and I was asked toactually propose a possible action research project and offer ideas and considerations on how theproject’s focus could be narrowed, data gathered and analyzed, and conclusions drawn frommy ownresearch.

Through these units, I feel satisfied that exposure and practices in the points under ESPB Standard50081.2 were granted.

I felt personally satisfied with the effort and understanding gained in each ofthese areas while feeling themotivation to move forward with confidence exploring my own questionswith sound research practices and follow-up communication.

Part Two: Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in 610 andthe reason it has significance for you. Conclude your entry with a word of affirmation for members ofthe class.

It is difficult to determine a specific item that would label as “most important” in this course of study.

Ienjoyed the consideration and reflection of specific statistical analysis techniques and the considerationof various questions that could be satisfied through action research.

If I were to compare “research” toa physical umbrella the can cover all of or a portion of a body of knowledge and the related humanactivity occurring under it, I might reflect on my increased understanding of the physical operation anduse of the “umbrella” to satisfy my own need for understanding.

The umbrella that is research can bemade to represent the many types of research as well as the various components of the design, datacollection, analysis, and conclusions associated with that research technique.

The existence of theumbrella was previously known to me, but not clearly understood.

I feel today that, though I’ve had nopractical experience to date with the use of this umbrella, I have increased confidence in its use.

Concluding Work: Upon reflection, submit a final entry that includes commentary relative to the mostimportant thing you learned through your study and a wordof affirmation for members of the class.

As I look back on my first semester of graduate study, and specifically this 610 Research in Education

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course, I enjoy the feelings I have in consideration of instructors, content, my content related work, theuniversity staff in registration, advisement, the bookstore, the technology department at VCSU, as wellas my colleagues in the two courses I was enrolled.

Clearly, there were reasons for the loss of five students throughthe first three units.

Those reasons were no doubt valid, and possibly, even probably, reasons we allfaced and were, somehow, fortunately able to negotiate.

The graduate experience involves a greatdeal of time, not to mention cost.

The on-line experience also provided new challenges to some of usnot familiar with the logistical portion of this format.

We had to learn the shortcuts and personalstrategies necessary to make the on-line environment work for us.

There are many variables includingnetwork outages, phone service problems, software and hardware difficulties and the dreaded “forgotto hit SAVE” before the toddler pulled the plug or the storm knocked out the lights!

Many of mycolleagues are parents, some recent parents, and most all of us have full time jobs and otherobligations such as coaching, committees, hobbies, the maintenance of our homes and yards,children’s activities, and the general hectic nature of the Holiday Season.

Sundays are great days towork on our personal “homework”, but there are family gatherings, birthdays, unexpected company,church programs, and even the “Big Game”

to watch.

There are literally hundreds of reasons for notstarting the graduate school journey, and many for bailing out during the course.

Through my experience this semester, albeit only through only two courses whereas some took on asmany as three,

I have a newfound respect and appreciation for those, for whatever reason, took thisopportunity to better their own personal abilities.

I made it a point to read three papers from three different colleagues after each unit, providing me withcarefullyconsidered insights from twelve of them over the duration of this course.

I scanned otherreports as well, and read everyone’s replies to the various units.

The combined efforts of the twenty-nine of us resulted in much sacrifice of time and money including many hours of research, reading,writing, proofing, rewriting, reading other’s work, and providing important feedback.

I am thankful andappreciative to have experienced my colleague’s motivation and their efforts.

Our instructor, Dr. Holleque, provided us with a well organized, easy to follow guideline for completionof each of the four units of study.

The timing of the units was sufficient, and rarely did I feel stressed inthat I was worried about getting the work done.

There appeared time “built in” to compensate for thoseunexpected things.

Even the expected busy nature of homecoming, both at Valley City State, and forthose of us who are teachers, at our own school.

I’m the junior class advisor chairperson,and myhomecoming week’s evenings were full with work obligations, and I’m sure most of my colleagues canrelate to similar difficult weeks.

The work was time consuming, and often I struggled in the understanding of the scope of this work.

Ioccasionally felt bogged down in my lack of understanding of a specific term or set of instructions.

Iwould compare this feeling to driving in a fog looking for a landmark I’ve never personally witnessed,but knew must be there.

I believe Dr. Holleque knew that would be the case when designing thiscourse, but yet knew that there were sufficient clues to guide us along the way.

I cite the “links page”she provided us with as an example, and the encouragement of the collaboration of 30-somestudents.

We succeededin completing the units and gaining insight, understanding, and somepractical application of many of the components of several types of research possibilities.

I reflect on the entry level behaviors we all must have to be able to complete this course, namely in theoperation of a computer and the navigation of the on-line and internet environment.

I’m sure we allstruggled from time to time with how to construct our papers, where to find information, how to accessresearch databases, and even the Blackboard environment.

Dr. Holleque anticipated this in someways, offering suggestions along the way.

I must admit, being primarily a Mac user with the Internetthat I did not know that by right clicking one could easily open a link in a new page.

This may seem

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simple enough, but it was a huge time saving tip that Dr. Holleque did not simply assume that we allknew.

I feel this course helped prepare me for what may lie ahead on the graduate school journey.

I still seemainly “the forest” at this time, but I am beginning to be able to identify some of the individual treeswe’ll be visiting along the way, namely, in the area of action research of the courses on my itinerary.

I questioned the personal wisdom in enrolling in graduate school considering the returnon theinvestment.

The experience in this course encouraged the continuance of the journey, and equippedme with a few tools of self confidence to complete it.

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of thesyllabus. Identifyone of them and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

2. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Core Proposition 4: Teachers ThinkSystematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.

One thing that I truly enjoyed about this class (and the on-line format) is the feedback process.Through research current issues in education brought about some awesome discussion and reflectionwithin our unit activities. Through dissecting information researched and applying needed information, Ifeel my foundation on education has increased which has given me the confidence to respondeducationally to my peers throughout this course. Through the use of technology I have a broaderknowledge regarding current issues and trends. I’ve applied some of the information obtained throughmy reading, questioning, and peer feedback which generated the need to try new things or step outsideof my “box”!

Part Two: Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in610 and the reason it has significance for you.

I feel the most important thing I’ve learned through my study in 610 is various ways in which toresearch! To be honest, I struggled at first to find quality sites for my peers as well as for myself. Thetoughest part of this class was statistics research! To understand the whole picture of why we needcontinuing research was easy, it was the analyzing of the data compiled that was hard to understandas well as which method of analyzing to use! I feel that I can now take data, say from a survey, compilethat data and use it to understand what potential change is needed, if any. Out of all the differentresearch methodologies studied, action research is by far my favorite just because it is based on theneeds of you, your classroom, and/or your school district. It allows the user (teacher(s) to makechange. The best part about it is that it is fail proof, meaning that if you’re not satisfied with the resultsof your findings at the end of your action proposal you can continue to research and apply neededstrategies to meet the goals! I like the fact that you can totally gear it towards your individualclassroom, a group or subgroup found within your school, or your district as a whole. I also found thataction research is highly engaging, motivating, and fun! But I think the most important aspect that Iobtained through action research is knowledge. I have a greater understanding of action research andit is a technique that I can use over and over to find the answers to questions continually asked. Actionresearch builds one’s knowledge base and what a powerful tool!

Conclude your entry with a word of affirmation for members of the class.

Wow, what do I say to a class that has really helped me along the way?

Thanks! We’ve worked veryhard, not just a few but the whole class…and, I think that is very rare in most cases! As I have statedearlier, one of my favorite things about this class was the feedback that I’ve received from you all. Thefeedback generatedreflection on my work as well as practice. Being in the teaching field for just thepast 9 years gave me experience but I needed more and I feel this course along with my peers hasprovided me with vast knowledge on new innovative strategies and practices.

I have made somesubstantial changes due to my findings within this class so thank you for that! I guess the only word ofaffirmation that I can provide is…continue to strive to be the best educator possible. I know there aredays when we all would like to “hang-it-up” but then we remember the true reason for our choice ofcareer, the children we work with! Continue to stay in tune with the environment which is createdthrough the diversity we see everyday in the make-up of our students. Let’s not just “do

our work”, let’sdo our work while staying in tune with as many students as possible! After all they are our futureleaders! And, because of the work you do they’ll be great leaders. Pat yourself on the back as I thinkyou all did a wonderful job this semester! Thanks again for all the encouragement, feedback, andconstructive criticism! I appreciated your work! Angie

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Part One:

Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A of the syllabus.

Identifyone of them and discuss howand to what extent you met it through this course.

2. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Core Proposition 4: Teachers ThinkSystematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.

NBCTs(National Board CertifiedTeachers)

model what it means to be an educatedperson-

they read, they question, they create and they are willing to try new things.

They are familiar with learning theories and instructional strategies and stay abreastof current issues inAmerican education.

They critically examine their practice on a regular basis to deepen knowledge,expand their repertoire of skills, and incorporate new findings into their practice.

Even though I am grateful that I have been challenged to develop my abilities to apply research andresearch methods relevant to the advanced field of study throughout this course, I am mostappreciative of being reminded of the importance of the National Board for Professional TeachingStandards Core Proposition 4:

“Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn fromexperience.”

The heart of learning includes reading, questioning, and then creating.

Reading, questioning, andcreating are part of my current everyday life.

My lesson planning, my decision making within the areaof technology, my servicing of gifted students, my providing teachers with appropriate and meaningfulin-service, plus my personal desire to reach further within my profession all require that I thinksystematically about my practices and learn from my experiences.

The format for this class enabled us to read much when we researched our objectives (“Part A”), wequestioned our practices and began to formulate interventions or new practices for future lessons whenwe completed the effective practice section entitled “Part B,” and we reflected on points we wished toremember in our reflections (“Part C”).

This course has challenged me to recommit to implementing interventions in my educational positionand then to analyzing the effectiveness of those interventions.

Also, I appreciated having a reason toconsider educational issues and their effects within my locale; obviously this consideration of issueswill affect my future interventions.

With renewed affirmation, I will approach the incorporating of new findings into my professional duties; Ilook forward to the future because I truly enjoy the process of reading, questioning and then creating.

Ilook forward to applying best practices in the education of the students I service.

Part Two:

Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in610 and the reason it has significance for you.

Conclude your entry with a word of affirmationfor members of the class.

Actually the most important thing I

learned through this online course was how important the affirmationof my peers was to my professional growth, and that it is possible to receive this type of affirmation

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online.

To be truthful, I had much reservation about this most important element of education in anonline course.

Throughout my career whenever I have met positive, knowledgeable, respected, innovative, andmotivated teachers, they have influenced me in some way.

Actually, getting to know such teachersand then exchanging information

with them is something I have always looked forward to.

My teaching philosophy includes the realization that the teacher is the most important component inany classroom and that teachers are each other’s greatest resource.

Sharing and communicating

whateach of us has found to be effective or not effective in the classroom or at our respective jobs carries“clout.”

I truly wondered how I could form this type of bond with online classmates and share with themin order to cultivate professional growth for all parties involved.

It happened!

I looked forward to reading the responses that were specifically written for myassignments.

I read many classmates assignments and the responses that were written specifically forthem even though I was not oneof the responders.

I printed many documents and filed great thoughtsand good ideas for future reference.

Yes, I became a better researcher for I relearned methods of research; I became very interested inaction research; I appreciated being able to understand issues dealing with statistics; I sharpened myskills while researching on the internet, gleaning information from the better websites rather than fromthose that lacked credibility; and I began to think about educational research I may want toconduct.

But none of this would have been possible without our online collaboration; this class sports adiverse group of

wonderful teachers who became a great resource to each other.

Thank you!

Concluding Work

Part One:

Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

Theprogram requires students develop the ability to apply research and research methods relevantto the advanced field of study.

As I see it, this course was all about putting me on the path to developing “the ability to apply research慮搠research methods relevant to” my advanced field of study. Hopefully, the miniJr敳敡rc栠hr潰潳慬s畢mi瑴t搠ds⁰ r琠潦⁴ 攠ein慬⁵湩t⁯ ⁣潵rsew潲o⁤ mo湳瑲慴as⁴ a琠䤠h慶攠e敶敬o灥搠d潭攠ef⁴ 慴a慢ility⸠Ac瑵tl⁦畴ur攠潰p潲o畮iti敳 睩ll⁨敬瀠p攠e漠o畲瑨敲⁡灰ly⁲敳敡rc栠h湤⁲敳e慲a栠h整e潤s⁷ 瑨i渠瑨t⁦iel搠df⁥ 畣慴a潮⁴桡琠䤠桡v攠e桯se渠n潲⁭y 湥x琠tar敥r⁰ t栮

I’m always taken aback when someone makes a comment regarding my return to school that is alongthe lines of “you’re so smart”….”you already know so much, you’ll do really well.” I fervently believe that瑨t⁭潲攠敤畣慴敤⁯湥 扥c潭敳Ⱐ瑨攠e潲攠潮攠牥慬izes⁪畳琠tow⁭畣栠h桥y 桡v攠ye琠t漠l敡r渮⁔桡琠tsv敲y⁭畣栠h桥⁣慳攬ef潲⁭eⰠIs⁰ r瑡i湳⁴漠牥o敡rc栠i渠敤畣慴i潮⸠䤠f敥l⁬ik攠e⁬敡rn敤⁳漠o畣栠hrom

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course, but only scratched the surface.

Being a health professional, I am accustomed to reading journal articles reporting the latest researchfindings that pertain to oral health, some other aspect of health, or safety. Previously, when I thoughtabout research, my mental picture was always laboratory oriented. Once I got involved in farm safetyand child passenger safety, I began to read research reports based on the study of behavior, but thereports were always disappointing. And the research process, especially as it regards increasingseatbelt use in specific populations such as teen drivers or young adult males driving pick-up trucksseems lengthy (almost daunting) without seeming to get to any results that offer much benefit forincreasing seatbelt use among those populations. The exposure that I had during this course to variousresearch methods opened my eyes to the possibility of all kinds of research outside of my previousexperience.

Some of the units we worked on provided a very steep learning curve. I had enough vague knowledgeof statistics previously that I thought I could discern obviously bad research from obviously goodresearch. What I learned this semester I think makes it possible to remove the word, “obviously,” fromthe previous

sentence. The part of research that I find a bit daunting is the analysis. I can calculatepercentages, but determining validity and reliability, etc. had me scratching my head, at times. This isalso the part that worries me the most about the proposed research project that I understand each ofus will be undertaking as part of our degree requirements. However, even if I have to glue a statisticsmanual to one hand during the process, at least now I feel like I know what questions to ask and whattopics to further research to help me through that.

One of the exercises that I found very helpful was having to seek and analyze the reports from differenttypes of research projects. What a great way to illustrate the differences and, also, be able to see whatkinds of questions (or hypotheses) each type of research helped answer or define. And because Isearched for research reports that were relevant to the type of teaching experience I hope to find aftergraduation, I realized how seeking out others’ researchreports may help me do my job better, as wellas understand my job, students, and colleagues much better…and better facilitate learning for all of us.

This course has definitely made me aware of how much more there is to learn and understand abouteducational research. However, it has certainly helped me begin to develop an ability to “applyresearch and research methods” to education. While I recognize that there is still much to learn, I’mlooking forward to getting out there, diving in, and applying what

I have learned.

Part Two:

Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in 610 andthe reason it has significance for you. Conclude your entry with a word of affirmation for members ofthe class.

Action Research is the most important thing I learned about during this course. Realizing that there is aresearch tool that I can initiate and use in my classroom that will provide feedback (data) that will helpme facilitate learning for my students, as well as help me improve my skills for facilitating that learning,has opened up a whole new set of possibilities that I didn’t know existed.

I like that there is a means for me to test new learning theories in my classroom without jumping on thebandwagon just because it’s the latest rage everyone is talking about. I like that my classroom canbecome a “laboratory” of sorts that can help me discern the worth of new theories, curricula, or findanswers to questions that my classroom experiences raise. Though I plan on participatingin ongoingprofessional development, I am excited that besides seeking out the results of others’ research, I cancreate some of my own research that might, in the end, also benefit others besides myself.

Affirmation:

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One of the most valuable parts of this

whole educational experience is the contributions of andfeedback from other members of the class. I know it’s not the same as being in a classroom anddiscussing things in real time, face-to-face. However, I think there is an important and valuable aspectto this that one rarely gets in the classroom. Because we each write our comments in our own spaceand time, we have the luxury of being able to complete our thoughts, without interruption or thedistraction of trying to follow another’s comments as we are trying to formulate our own thoughts forongoing participation in discussion. Because of this, we each also benefit from receiving the completethoughts of others. The sharing of thoughts, ideas, and experiences provide immeasurable worth tothis entire

process and I thank each and every one of you for the breadth of experience you havecontributed to me and all the rest of us. Thank you!

Here is my last entry. Happy Holidays!

EDUC. 610: Concluding Work.

Part One:

Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

2. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Core Proposition 4: Teachers ThinkSystematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.

I chose this standard because it deals with the meat and potatoes of being an educator. This coursechallenged me in every one of the assessments of this standard. It states that

Upon reflection, detail the most important thing you learned through your study in 610 andthe reason it has significance for you. Conclude your entry with a word of affirmation for members ofthe class.

I’ve been teaching for almost seventeen years and have been successful in educating manys瑵t敮瑳 i渠n桥⁳cie湣敳⸠Kowev敲Ⱐe潲⁭潳琠tf⁴ 潳攠e敶e湴n敮 y敡rsⰠ䤠桡v攠灲整ty⁭畣栠h潬lowe搠dh攠l敡摥r⁩渠n敲es⁯ ⁣畲uic畬畭⁧ i摥li湥s⁡湤⁴桥⁴敡chi湧⁰牡 tic敳⁳畧g敳瑥t by my 扵ildin朠gn搠摩s瑲ic琠t摭i湩s瑲慴ars⸠K桥⁭os琠tm灯r瑡t琠瑨i湧⁉ le慲a敤⁩渠nhis⁣l慳s⁩s⁴桡琠t桲潵杨⁬i瑥牡瑵牥⁲eviewand research, an educator doesn’t have to be one of the flock sheep; instead I can critique my own瑥tc桩湧 慰plic慴io湳⁡ 搠d敶is攠e瑵ti敳⁩渠nrd敲⁴漠摥vel潰 睡ys 潦⁩m灲潶i湧⁴ 攠way⁉ 灲敳敮琠t桥

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curriculum in my own unique setting. I’ve always been a creative educator in terms of trying new waysto bring mastery to my units. However, after this course, I’m more aware of the need for me to be morereflective and critical of the student’s outcomes and how to go about

improving on my teachingmethodology.

I feel that it is time for me to be more of a mentor and leader to other educators in the district. Ifound that by research (especially action research), an educator can conduct studies that are importantto their core areas and the district, and then proceed to

collaborate with colleagues and ultimately implement the results in a manner that takes on a leadershiprole. There is no doubt that our roles as educators in this country are changing at a rapid rate. Thepressure to produce high-level test scores and meet the required standards is pushing us to tryinnovative ways to present the chosen curricula to a more varied skilled, student population. I feel thatthis course has given me a background, awareness, and a starting point in the techniques andapplication of research in the world of education.

I want to thank Dr. Holleque and the class this semester for their open and honest reviews andcomments on my assigned units. This is the first on-line courseI’ve ever participated in and have felt,even without actually meeting most of you, that we were all working hard to make sense of our studiesand desperately needed the support and critiques from our peers. It was interesting to know what othereducatorsthousands of miles away from Alaska were going through and how they perceived thediscussed topics. I hope that you all can find success in meeting the standards set before you. HappyHolidays!

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Excerpts of Final Submissions–

EDUC 635Technology for Learning

Concluding Work

Effective Use of Technology

Submitted in partial fulfillment of

EDUC 635 Technology for Learning

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A.of the syllabus. Identifyone of them and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

her students as part of that learning community as well. By trying out new strategies on students andreceivingfeedback from them, she was able to assess her techniques, her ideas, and her presentationand tweak them to become a better teacher. By applying some of the insights gained from members ofthis class and receiving feedback from her students about the newimplementations, the learningcommunity grew stronger.

Through relationships established with others in her graduate school classes, she was able to “confer”with others and receive feedback on her ideas. This is all part of the learning community that this classfostered. It broadened this writer’s mind and perspective and amazed her, unit-by-unit, at the amountand quality of research her colleagues presented.

The very nature of this class lends itself to the development of a learning community as students readothers’ work and comment upon the ideas presented. This writer experienced intellectual challenges bymembers of the class and the type of material they brought to the table.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study,why it is of value to you at the present time, and what implications it has for the future.

It would be difficult to narrow the focus of this class to one or two things I learned. However, one ideacemented into my mind as a result of one of the units is the idea of equity and ethics of technology.These two ideas cause me to bring a greater focus and intent to teaching the importance of the ethicaluse of technology.

At one time, I believed that teaching the ethical use of not justtechnology but other issues was betterleft to parents; the reality of the times has changed that notion. In my school, few parents are involvedenough to want to spend time talking about the illegality of pirating music or movies not to mentionplagiarizing work. Some do not feel they have the time, others feel they do not have the education. Asa result, I approach ethics more diligently than I have before and mention what is and is not ethicaloften.

In addition to stepping up my intentional instructionabout ethics, I have also begun to address theequity issue more at my school. In my district there is inequity. Rather than allowing it to continue andhaving students bear the brunt of this, I have begun lobbying for the same equipment in my school thatthe other two high schools have. I am not asking for the same quantity, just the same quality.

I can say my words are making a difference. Just recently my principal took up my clarion call with thedistrict technology director. Having this advocate on my

side has brought substantial credibility to mypleas. Just because we are an alternative high school does not mean our students should be short-changed in the types of technologies they are able to access. It’s all about equity and what is fair.

Fairness

is important to me which is why that unit on ethics and equity resonated so deeply within me.These ideas will stick with me throughout my teaching career. I will more pointedly and consciouslyteach about the ethics of technology use and will continue to

be an advocate for equity in my district.

Concluding Work

Part One:Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus.

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Identifyoneof them anddiscuss

how and towhat extent

you met it through this course.

The Masters of Educational Technology program: and more specifically, Educ. 635, fulfills therequirements of incorporating computer technology and digital media to create a virtual learningenvironment that is conducive to maximizing the learning experience.

Dr. Holleque summed up the concept of virtual learning succinctly when she stated, something to theaffect of, actively engaging in research is half the pleasure of learning. The computer served as myconduit to the instructor as well as to my peer participants. Email provided me with 24/7 access to myinstructor as well as peer participants. To my surprise, I found it to be a very effective means ofcommunication. So effective, as a matter a fact, I plan to incorporate my email address on my coursesyllabuses next fall. In this manner, I will be in constant contact with my students. This means ofcommunicate will allow me to provide students with essential course information and feedback that willkeep them from falling behind due to absenteeism.

Theinternet served as my textbook for Educ. 635. Through the process of course directed inquiry I wasable to locate relevant course information necessary to complete my course objectives. Once I hadcompleted my research and writing assignment, I used the University’s network, via my home internetconnection to cut and paste my assignments from Word to the Discussion Board location on the virtualclassroom.

The feedback tool attached to the Discussion Board provided me with valuable peer to peer feedback,insights, and access to other web-based learning tools I had not come across through the course of myresearch. Another important, self-motivating feature of this online experience was the timely posting ofour unit grades. As a professional teacher, with five daily preps, and coaching responsibilities, I gettired from time to time and somewhat frustrated. At times I felt somewhat overwhelmed with all of myprofessional and student responsibilities.

The ability to review each unit grade shortly after I posted my monthly assignment provided me with theinspiration I needed to continue to work hard and give my professional growth my best effort.

Education 635 demonstrated to me how the effective use of

technology can enhance the learningexperience in every dimension of education: from the administrative role, through the delivery ofinstructor guided course material and periodic grading updates, through the student related research,writing, and submitting facet of the learning process.

Part Two: Write an essay that details themost important thing you learned through your study,why it is of value

to you at the present time, and whatimplications

it has for the future.

It is so hard to point to one specific area of inquiry that had the most profound impact on meprofessionally, but if I had to pick one area, I would have to say it would be the realization that it is notenough to enhance my teaching curriculum through the use of technology-I need to doa much betterjob of getting technology into the hands of my students.

Despite the lack of formal in-service technology seminars, I have learned how to incorporatetechnology into every facet of my course content delivery. What this course has demonstrated to me isthat I need to restructure my course content in order to maximize student/technology interaction. Tothat end, I have already redesigned some of my course content to make it more technology userfriendly.

Having made the commitment to incorporate more student related technology driven assignments next

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year, I have begun to experiment with it this year. The last unit of study my Junior American Historyclass covered was the Civil Rights Era. After a detailed discussion of the trials and tribulations of thepioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, I gave my students the following assignment. I wanted mystudents to understand the fact that Dr. King Jr. was not alone in his efforts to secure equality for allAmerican citizens. To that end, their assignment was to look for lesser known civil rights activists. Oncelocated, they had to cut and past the subject of their inquiry to Word, along with the web-address, andwrite a summary of the key events surrounding their individual’s involvement in the Civil RightsMovement followed by their personal reaction to the information they located. This particularassignment once completed was well received and generated a great deal of commentary and morequestions than answers. I encouraged my students to do more

research, to answer their ownquestions.

Next year, I plan to incorporate one independent learning assignment into each teacher directed unit.The intent is to provide students with an opportunity to do meaningful research, which requires them toevaluate internet content, summarize it and present the final product of their research. With outquestion, placing technology in the hands of students fosters academic independence, critical thinkingthrough the process of evaluating and researching the internet

resources available to them.

Like never before, I have come to understand the importance of developing and graduating computerand digital technology competent students who have the necessary social, academic, andtechnologically based skills to competein the global market place of the twenty-first century.

Dr. Holloque,

I would like to take a moment to thank you for your support and guidance through this process. I lookforward to working with you again.

Part One: Refer to the professionalstandards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

I will answer part one based on the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB)Standard 50081.5 The program requires the use of current, appropriate instructional technologies. Theprogram uses varied performance assessments of students' understanding and abilities to apply thatknowledge.

Throughout the duration of this course many technologies have been used to research, view, and listento, and collect data to complete course activities.

recording grades, and open communication via e-mail. Class announcements, course syllabus, and unit assignments are stored in one location for easyaccess and retrieval. Blackboard is a very user-friendly tool that requires minimal training to use thebasic features. I hope someday to utilize blackboard and its features from the instructor point of view.

Internet: Without the Internet and a high-speed connection, distance learning would be much more

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difficult. User-friendly search engines, such as Google, provide a great starting point for muchdiscovery. The Internet also provides links to research performed at other universities. I would oftensearch for hours and save viable links via electronic bookmarks for later perusal. Another trick that Ilike to use is to add .pdf or .ppt withinmy search strings to pull up information.

Podcasts and YouTube/Google Video: It is great to see how other educators are using these mediatools to reach students. I have been inspired to incorporate some of these new strategies into myclassroom via power point presentations as stand-alone support to daily lectures.

Microsoft Word: This is my word processor of choice. I can create charts, insert images, URL links, andpdfs. Easy to use formatting helps me to emphasize or de-emphasize information as needed.Templates save me time as I create similar documents repeatedly.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study, why it isof value to you at the present time, and what implications it has for the future.

Until recently I feel that my perspective of educational technology has been skewed by my desires toincorporate the national standards for technological literacy into technology education course offerings.I have felt that it was important to clarify in

a fairly strong manner that there is a difference between thetwo and that I could only advocate for one at a time. My perspective is changing. As I learn more abouteducational technology options I find myself feeling that as a technology education teacher I should berole-modeling as many educational technologies in my classroom as are readily available to me, i.e.power point, classroom response systems, LCD projectors, Internet search skills, pod casts, cellphones, PDAs, digital video. These technologies all have a place in the technology educationclassroom, and I am not representing the information and communication field of technology to itsfullest if I don’t try to incorporate these examples in the learning process of my students..

Upon completion of my masters of technology education degree I believe that my education willcontinue. I hope to take courses that will hone my skills in the integration of educational technology. Ithink it is naïve for school districts to think that a one-day professional development seminar will createteachers who are proficient in using the software and hardware technologies that they have purchased.Long-term training initiatives will need to be created if school districts are to be successful.

I am very excited

about trying to find a teaching position within a school district that is engaged in aone-to-one computing initiative and using technology to create students who are engaged in thelearning process. Throughout the semester I have read multiple articles on urban school districts thatare thinking outside of the box and creating easy access to technology for their students. Whether it isin creating community computer labs, pod casts that address social issues, cameras for kids, or freeInternet; each timewe put technology in the hands of students I am amazed at the projects theyproduce.

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met itthrough this course.

The program requires the use of current, appropriate instructional technologies.

The program usesvaried performance assessment of students’ understanding and abilities to apply that knowledge.

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Examples of performance assessments may include how to:

Demonstrate appropriate use of various technologies within their instructional practices

Select and use appropriate technology tools specific to their

area of advanced study

Use technology to effectively manage communications, planning, research and record keeping

Through this writer’s experience in Valley City State University’s EDUC 635 “Technology for Learning”experience, the instructor made current and appropriate instructional technologies available tohim.

The course was taught in a distance learning, on-line environment.

The learner used e-mail,Blackboard On-Line classroom environment, word processing software, and Internet browsers tocomplete the core work in this course.

Also through this writer’s coursework, he utilized a variety ofhardware in different locations, expanding his ability to apply what he knows about computertechnology to a variety of machines and software applications.

Collaboration was a part of thiscourse’s requirements, and the learner effectively communicated with at least three differentclassmates during each of the four units they explored.

The content the instructor exposed the learners to deal with educational technology.

The learnersexplored four to five different objectives during each unit, exploring the theory and hypothesis as wellas opinion on these ideas.

The units also allowed them the opportunity to reflect on their ownexperiences and to forecast ideas of what the future holds for educational technology.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study, why it isof value to you at the present time, and what implications it has for the future.

This writer had the opportunity to explore a variety of topics surrounding the history of educationaltechnology, theory, research, and practice in educational technology, issues surrounding positiveschool change, as well as how technology can enhance learning.

The learners also explored variouslearning theories including the learner centered environment, behaviorist and cognitive views,constructivist views, and the views of the social psychologist.

With consideration of theaforementioned topics, students explored social, equity, ethical and legal issues.

Finally, the instructorallowed students in this course the opportunity to explore the future of educational technology.

Each area provided its own high level of interest, but to this writer, the issue of equity fostered the mostthought.

As of 2007, students do not have 100% accessibility to educational technology, whether atschool or at home.

The factors contributing to these inaccessibility issues are many, though none assignificant as economic factors.

Whether school funding, or the economic status of individual families,the problem of getting the tools in the hands of the learner is still with us.

Progress is being made, andfor the most part, time will have a way of solving a majority of the in school accessibilityissues.

Districts are replacing traditional teachers with younger teachers with greater technologicalabilities and visions.

Funding is improving for technological advancement from both governmental andcorporate sources.

This writerfeels that given time, government and private citizens will improveschool funding issues, but society will never solve the depressed personal economic situation of manyAmerican families.

Some homes will never have computers and some parents will never work withtheir children to foster interest, ability, responsibility, and accountability in academia in terms oftechnology or otherwise.

That is sad and there is often great compassion felt those

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individuals.

However, in the scope of societal evolution,this may be the natural course of things.

Inthe natural world, species become extinct when they do not possess the adaptations necessary tocompete successfully in their environment.

One can wonder society will every allow poverty and thelack of meansto become extinct.

This is the great philosophical question of our time.

To what extentdoes society keep working toward a baseline of opportunity and success that includes all citizens?

Part One

The VCSU core value Effective use of Instructional Technology relates directly to the NationalBoard for Professional Teaching Standards Proposition 2: Teachers know the subjects they teach andhow to teach those subjects to students. The assignments I completed in this course along with thefeedback from the other participants have made me think about using instructional technology moreeffectively. I learned about implementing technology into lessons because it is an effective way to helpstudents improve

the transfer of material from the classroom to real life situations. I feel better preparedto demonstrate and share my knowledge with others, and learn how to use and incorporate varioustechnology tools in my classroom.

The course helped me to also focus on the importance of using diverse instructional strategiesto teach students for a better understanding of topics. Educators share in the responsibility of teachingstudents to be technologically literate citizens so they can function in a global society. We have toteach our students so they know how to collaborate successfully across miles and cultures.

Our youthneeds to learn new skills because technology changes so quickly, and they need to be able to changewith it. In almost every type of work there is some kind of technology that is being used and studentsneed to be prepared, as well as teachers do if they are going to teach it. Teacher education programsneed to continue to educate pre-service teachers to use educational technology effectivelyin theclassroom too.

The objectives and assignments for this course also made us teachers think about being moreinvolved in decisions on planning, purchasing, and using educational technology in our own schools.

Iwant to be more involved with making changes that will impact the learning of students in positiveways. In this course I was able to really reflect on what I do in my own classroom. I gained a lot of newinformation on equity and social issues, and getting the chance to discuss with other teachers theirthoughts on these issues.

Researching about the many types of learning theories and how studentslearn will help me to teach subjects to students.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study,why it is of value to you at the present time, and what implications it has for the future

In order to enhance learning and contribute to positive school change that supports a learner-centered environment, I have learned more about the importance for teachers to build backgroundknowledge in order to possess the skills necessary for effective use of current instructionaltechnologies. The research articles I read on technology tools gave me better ideas on how they canbe used in instructional planning and management. The units in the course helped me to focus on howtechnology assists me in the delivery of day-to-day activities and lessons in my classroom. The

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questions posed in unit 2 gave me an opportunity to reflect on what I do in my own classroom, and Ialso learned what works for other teachers in their classrooms. It is beneficial for educators to try newthings and not be afraid of changes brought by technology.

As technology in our world has become more complex and our lives are changing becauseofit, so too must our teaching strategies in education. In the past, education’s emphasis was on learningbasic skills like writing and reading. Now, educators have come to realize the world is changing tooquickly to focus on just those skills, and learning these skills will benefit our students in the future sothey can cope with technological changes in society. I think teachers can use technology to enhancetheir lessons, make changes in their curriculum, and try out

new teaching delivery methods.

Thevalue of gaining knowledge in how to apply instructional technologies will have atremendous impact on my future ability to be an effective teacher. Transfer of learning happens whenlearning in one-environment affects a person’s behavior in another environment.

Implementingtechnology into lessons is an effective way to help students improve the transfer of material from theclassroom to real life situations. My implementation and successful use of technologies will prepare meto teach tomorrow’s students

and assist them in being technologically literate citizens.

North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board Standard 50081.5. The program requires theuse of current, appropriate instructional technologies. The program uses variedperformanceassessments of students’ understanding and abilities to apply that knowledge.

My work in EDUC 635 required research in equity, ethical, and social issues surrounding instructionaltechnology. I became familiar with new technology practices that are being utilized in classroomsacross the country. I also developed a rationale for using instructional technology in my classroom.

The information on cyber bullying was interesting and valuable. In our classrooms today theopportunity for bullying has

expanded beyond the playground. Students are capable of inflictingemotional pain on others through cell phones and computers through e-mail, chat rooms, and instantmessaging. Schools cannot control what children do outside of the school setting. However, it is my jobto talk to students about the impact of cyber bullying. It is important to support my students and helpthem see their personal strengths in order to boost their self-confidence. This will provide them with anemotional shield if and when they are victims of any kind of bullying.

I feel more confident now about my decisions to use educational technology in my classroom. Iknow, through my research, the students are learning through their work with technology. They arebecoming technologically literate and confident. Using technology also improves their attitude towardschool and their motivation to learn.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study, why it is

24

of value to you at the

present time, and what implications it has for the future.

This course had my interest from the start. Over the past eight years I have integratededucational technology with my curriculum. My students have made power point presentations anddesigned web pages. They have completed web quests and researched topics for science, socialstudies, and language arts. However, I have been stuck in a time warp for the past three years. Ihaven’t moved beyond what is familiar and comfortable to me in the

area of instructional technology.

This course has helped me see what else is possible. I have new goals for integratingeducational technology in my curriculum. Podcasting is one avenue I would like to explore. There aremany websites I plan to learn more about and use with my class next year. I have learned aboutsoftware programs that have been proven effective in the areas of math and science.

Through this course I have confirmed my belief that students need to become technologicallyliterate in order to experience success in our society. Research shows that the use of instructionaltechnology is linked to improved student motivation and academic achievement. It is my job to educatemy students about ethical topics: cyberbullying, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. They need tolearn young how powerful technology can be, and its potential impact on our country.

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identifyone ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

1. North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) Standard 50081.5 The programrequires the use of current, appropriate instructional technologies.

The program uses variedperformance assessments of students' understanding and abilities to apply that knowledge.

Examples of performance assessments may include how to:

demonstrate appropriate use of various technologies within their instructionalpractices.

select and use appropriate technology tools specific to their area of advancedstudy.

a closer look at the changes andimpact technology has made in education. As an educational computer strategist, keeping up with thelatest technology trends is essential for professional growth and effective integration. In researching thecourse topics,

this writer has recognized many new technologies that will benefit classroom instruction.Some of the technologies include: Google Earth, podcasts, interactive whiteboards, paperless learning,and web-based software. Each of these tools plays a key role towards enhancing learning within this

25

digital age.

In completing this course, this writer has benefited from the convenience of distance learning. Becauseof the flexible online hours, one is able to work, spend time with family, and complete assignmentsonline. Blackboard has been an effective tool that has helped this student collaborate, communicate,and learn. With the endless amount of resources available through the internet, this student hasbecome familiar with effective research techniques and beneficial websites. Microsoft Word hasbecome this writer’s new best friend. The word processor helps to recognize any grammar or spellingdiscrepancies. Citationmachine.net has helped to ensure accurate APA style when making referencesor citations. Overall,

this writer feels that she has been successful in this course because of thetechnology resources and tools available.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study,why it is of value to you at the presenttime, and what implications it has for the future.

This writer understands first hand the technology planning process a school must maintain to ensure atechnology-enriched environment. With careful planning and effective implementation, schools canprovide students with essential tools to enhance learning. This course has helped this writer torecognize the many factors that lead to technology development.

EDUC 635 has taught this writer the importance of technology in a learner-centered classroom. Withmore students digitally connected, applying technology to learning peaks interest and motivatesstudents. Technology is most effective when it meets the needs of students. With effective integration,technology can greatly impact the learning experience.The

constructivist approach to learning goeshand in hand with technology. It supports higher level thinking and imagination.

should consider creating activities that require student-driven processes of buildingknowledge to develop understanding.

With that being said, this writer will definitely benefit from the knowledge learned in this course.Technology continues to grow.New trends adapt to society and impact student learning. It is the goalof this writer to continue learning new technology to provide teachers with the necessary tools toeffectively integrating technology into the classroom.

It's been a pleasurebeing a part of this group of professionals! I have enjoyed reading your postingsand participating in dialogue with many of you. Good Luck to all of you. Enjoy the break.

:) Judy

Part One: Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A.of the syllabus. Identify one ofthem and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.

I met the standard: 1. North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) Standard50081.5 The program requires the use of current, appropriate instructional technologies.

The programuses varied performance assessments of students' understanding and abilities to apply thatknowledge. I especially met the third benchmark; use technology to effectively managecommunications, planning, research,

and record keeping.

This course gave me a lot of opportunities to use technology to effectively manage communicationsand research. Throughout the course we were given objectives to research, reflect upon, and

26

communicate our findings to our peers. Researching each objective had a snowball effect and soon Iwas immersed in the topic and found the information to be endless. I got much practice determining thecredibility of sources. I used sources other than the Internet, such as ERIC database for one.Reflecting upon what I found helped build higher-level thinking skills. Effectively sharing my thoughtshelped build communication skills. Responding and receiving responses from fellow classmatescreated a professional environment in which we could learnfrom each other and build upon ourknowledge.

An online learning environment naturally has us use technology to manage communications. UsingBlackboard to successfully submit my responses, as a new thread, to the discussion board, is oneexample of a performance goal I met. Being able to download others’ documents, save, and openthem, are also performance skills necessary to manage communications. Finally, replying to thevarious threads within the discussion board was yet another skill learned and practiced. Email was alsoa tool we used to communicate with peers and the instructor if we had questions.

I feel my researching and managing communications skills were greatly enhanced during the courseof this semester. I am able to narrow my searches to obtain fewer and more appropriate matches. Thisskill saves time when trying to find a good source of information. I would have to say that I fully met thisstandard.

Part Two: Write an essay that details the most important thing you learned through your study, why it isof value to you at the present time, and what implications it has for the future.

The most important thing I learned was that the most essential component to any successfultechnology plan is continued professional development andsupport for the teachers. Throughout thissemester I read several articles that discussed the importance of providing teachers in the field properprofessional development if they are expected to learn how to use new technologies and incorporatethem intothere lessons. Districts who include this ongoing professional development as a part of theirlong-term technology plan have shown more success and longevity with technology integration.Districts that do not provided sufficient training and support have many dollars worth of technologysitting idly in corners of classrooms.

This is valuable information because money tagged for professional development is money wellspent. As districts consider all the different needs and expenses needed to become technology current,they will know the significance to prioritize this into their budget. Seven years ago, our district had avision of the future, and realized the importance of professional development for its teachers. We wereone of the first districtsto hire teachers to partner with teachers to support them as they learn tointegrate technology. We have five Curriculum Technology Partners (CTPs), to work with elementarystaff, three Technology Integration Specialists, for our middle schools and high school. These positionstake a sizeable chunk of money in the technology plan, but are well worth it because our teacherscontinue to get trained in using the new technologies, instead of leaving it sit around the school. All theequipment in the world is worthless if no one knows how to operate it.

What does this mean for the future? Many districts are seeing the importance of this professionaldevelopment and support for its staff, and are creating positions much like ours. Ironically, and much tomydisbelief, our district may be regressing. Because of the new funding formula, and the extra cost ofimplementing full-day Kindergarten, our district may consider cutting back on the number of, or eveneliminate the CTP positions. Despite its success, theCTP program may be a victim of the “one stepforward, two steps back” phenomenon. I hope our district will continue with its vision and remainprogressive with technology.

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Part One:

Refer to the professional standards identified in section III.A. of the syllabus. Identifyone of them and discuss how and to what extent you met it through this course.